Little-known fact: 80% of Canadian income tax filing works on the honour system. During tax season, CRA receives an avalanche of income tax returns; far more than they could ever review in real time. Consequently, they send out most Notices of Assessment having done little-to-no review of what is actually in those tax returns. Unless [...]
The Canada Revenue Agency requests that some Canadians pay their income tax by installments through the year. The majority of Canadians don't have to make quarterly tax installment payments toward their income taxes because their employers deduct sufficient tax at source throughout the year to cover their tax bill. But those who have sources of [...]
We've talked elsewhere about CRA Matching, the process by which CRA takes a closer look at a tax return and the slips on file for a taxpayer to look for errors. Usually, CRA is very good at this. After all, looking at documents and numbers is their stock in trade. In our experience they're [...]
Form T1135 Foreign Income Verification Statement must be filed when a Canadian taxpayer answers 'yes' to the question "Did you at any time in the year own specified foreign property valued at over $100,000 (CAD)?" Watch: Foreign Property and the T1135 However, some real estate is considered exempt from this question, and therefore doesn't trigger [...]
Why does tax season have to come when the sun is shining and there's good stuff on TV? Reasons to always file on time, even if you can't afford to pay now.
Tax scams are on the rise, so protect yourself with good information. Here’s how to know if a person claiming to be collecting on a tax bill from the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) is on the level, or a fraudster. For years, Personal Tax Advisors has warned clients to disregard personal emails about tax refunds [...]
It's simple to get a GST or HST number in Canada. You can do it over the phone, or you can do it online if you're registered for CRA's online My Business service. But no matter how you register, CRA is going to require you to provide some information and make decisions up front. You [...]
Divorce and separation are painful life events, and it’s natural to want to distance yourself from the experience – and your ex -- for a while. But when it comes to your taxes the fastest route is always getting it right the first time, and that means you will have to communicate and cooperate with [...]
Contributing to an RRSP is always a great move, right? Not so fast. RRSPs reduce your taxes by sheltering income from tax when you contribute. You will pay the income tax later when you withdraw the funds, which is ideally when they’ve had a few years to grow (tax-free), and when you’re in a lower [...]
Video: Overdue Tax Returns - Should You File? The Short Answer Is ‘Yes’ Filing old late tax returns. Should you do it? I know I’m biased. I am a tax professional and I prepare tax returns for a living. Of course I'm going to tell you to file your tax returns. But bias or no, [...]
